Electrical contact receptacle



Filed July 9, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l )gj ATTORNEYZ Jan. 21, 1936. BECKET ELECTRICAL CONTACT RECEPTACLE Filed July 9, 1929 2 Sheefs-Sheet 2 g MENTOR ATTORN .3

v Patented Jan. 21, 1934 jcircumferential positions and make contact or.

7 is in place.

4 UNITED ELECTRICAL CONTACT RECEPTACLE Alan L. Becket, East Orange, N. J.

Application July 9, 1929, Serial No. 377,030 g 12 Claims.

By the present invention the plug blades can be inserted in the dark and without the necessity of first having the ends of the blades or prongs in the exact position in order to be able to insert the same. Beveled or sloping walls are provided along the openings in the receptacle for the blades or prongs of the plug, and each opening is made approximately semi-circular so that the plug can be inserted in various contacts in the receptacle. The contacts in the receptacle are made so as to extend along the arcs of a circle and lie between the pair of contacts on the push plug or cap when the pl The invention will be understood from the description in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of an illustrative embodiment of the invention; Fig.'2 is a view from the bottom thereof; Fig. 3 is a section along the line 33 of Fig 1; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the contact strips Fig. 5' is a plan view of another embodiment of the invention; Fig. 6 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale of the modification, with the parts disassembled; Fig. 7 is a section along the" line of Fig. 5; Fig. 8 is a section along the line 88 of Fig. 7; and Fig. 9 is a perspective view of another modification showing the parts disassembled.

In the drawings, reference character I indicates a rectangularly shaped receptacle or plug socket of insulating material that is illustrated a being suitable for two plugs. Two hollow extensions 2 are provided, one near each end of the receptacleinto which the blades of the push plugs may be inserted. A pair of arcuate openings 3, each slightly less than a semi-circle, is provided for each extension 2. An integral portion 4 of the receptacle l extends diametricallyacross the circle defined by the two arcuate openings 3, this insulating portion 4 separating the ends of the arcuate openings 3.from' It has been necessary tov the contacts 9.

each other. The central part of the transverse portion 4' may be made circular, if desired, as indicated at 5, in the plane of the top side of the receptacle I.

The walls of the openings 3 are beveled or 5 made to flare outwardly, as indicated more clearly at 6, in Fig. 3, so as to receive readily the ends of the blades or prongs of the push Plug.

A recess 1- is receptacle I to receive the pair of parallel longitudinally extending fiat contact strips 8. A pair of spring contacts 9 is provided along the inner edge of each strip 8 near the ends of the strips, the distance between the 'pair .of con- 16 tacts 9 on the strip 8 being the same as that between the openings 3 in the two extensions 2. Each contact 9 is curved so as to extend along the arc of a circle corresponding to an arcuate opening 3. The are of the contact 9 20 is shorter than that of the opening 3 and is on a slightly smaller circle. However, the circumferential distance between the edge of the contact 9, or end of its arc, and the contiguous side of the portion 4, is' less than the width of a plug blade or contact, so that when the blades of a plug contact are inserted in the openings 3 in any position in which the ends thereof will not strike the portion 4, the blades of the plug can be pushed in to make contact along the outside convex surfaces of the contacts 9.

Each contactS may be provided with a circumferentially extending rib III a short distance from its end. The ribs III are approximately semi-circular in cross section, as indicated in Figs. 3 and 4. By providing ribs of this sort, the circular holes usually provided through flat blades or prongs of push plugs, permit portions of the ribs III to enter theseholes, thus more securely retaining, the push plugs in position when their blades or prongs make contact with The contact strips a are provided with holes I I through which binding screws l2 can be passed to screw the strips in therecess 1 in the receptacle l. The binding screws I! may also serve for the connection of electric wires.

A rectangularly' shaped plate I3 of insulating material may be provided to close the bottom of v the receptacle I, this plate I 3 being secured in place by means of a rivet II that extends through a hole l5 at the center of the receptacle l.

A push plug or cap C having prongs or blades P of the well-known type, is indicated in Fig. 3, as entering the receptacle for its blades to conprovided in the bottom of the 10 tact with the outer or convex sides of the contacts 9. It is obvious that if the ends of the blades P strike the cross member 4, when it is attempted to insert the plug, the cap C can be turned circumferentially a slight distance, whereupon the plug can be inserted, and there will be no necessity for first finding the exact spot before the plug is pushed in.

In the modification shown in Figs. 5 to 8, a single plug receptacle is illustrated, which is provided at one end with a screw-shell. The receptacle comprises an insulating portion l8, one of the ends of which will receive a push plug, and the other end of which may be screwed into a screw socket, as will be understood from the following description. Arcuate openings l9 are provided in the end of the receptacle similar to the openings 3 in the other modification. A transverse integral portion 26 is provided similar to the portion 4 in the other modification. The portion 26 is illustrated as having a rounded .central portion 2| and may extend beyond the lower end of the receptacle l8, as shown in the upper portion of Fig. 6. The walls of the arcuate openings l9 may be made flaring outwardly, as indicated at 22 (Fig. 'I) for convenience in inserting .the blades or prongs of the push plug.

A circumferential recess 23 is provided near the lower end of the insulating portion l8, leaving a shoulder 24. The cylindrical portion 25 of a metallic screw shell 26 is placed over the recess portion 23 with its upper edge contacting with the shoulder 24. The remainder of the shell 26 is made screw threaded. A spring contact 21 similar to the contacts! 9 already described, is struck up from the bottom 28 of the shell 26 and is provided with a circumferentially extending rib 29, similar to the ribs II). A pair of lugs 36 is bent upwardly from the bottom 28 in position so that the edges of the lugs 36 will contact with one side of the transverse portion 26 of the receptacle l8 when the shell 26 is in place, to prevent the same from being turned in" either direction. Elongated parallel lugs 3| are bent downwardly from the bottom 28 for a purpose to be described below.

A disk of insulating material 32 having one face flat and the other somewhat conically shaped, is provided upon its flat face with a recess 33 in which one end of an L-shaped spring contact 34 similar to the contacts 9, is riveted. The contact 34 is provided with a circumferentially extending rib 35, similar to the rib l0 already described.

A friction screw 36 is passed through a hole 31 at the center of the disk 32 and frictionally engages a hole 38 in the central portion 2| of the insulating member 26 to retain the parts in assembled position.

Parallel transverse slots 39 are provided along the upperside of the disk 32 to receive the lugs 3| when the parts are assembled, so that the disk 32 will not turn in either direction.

In the modification shown in Fig. 9, a plug socket is shown having a pair of plug contacts at one end and having three pairs of openings for receiving other plug contacts. It is shown comprising two cylindrical insulating socket members 46 with fiat faces adapted to fit against each other. The two members may be held together by means of a rivet, or the like, passing through the holes 4|. vided with a cylindrical extension 42 about half Way between its ends.

A pair of parallel slots 43 is provided along the fiat side of each member 46. Each slot is Each member 40 is promade curved at its entry end, as indicated at 44, for the same purpose as described in connection with the other embodiments of the invention. Each cylindrical extension 42 is provided with a pair of similar openings to receive plug contact blades. Transverse slots 46 extend from the outer edges of the fiat sides of the members 40 to the slots 43 short distances from the lower ends of the members 46. Enlarged openings 41 extend inwardly from the flatsides of the members 40 in line with the openings 45 in the extensions 42 to receive spring contacts for the plug contact blades. A pair of contact strips 48 is mounted in the socket, each strip 48 having three spring contacts 49 similar to those already described. The lower portion of each contact strip 48 is folded back and the end thereof bent outwardly, as indicated at 56, to fit into the transverse slots 46 to keep the contact strips 48 from moving longitudinally.

It will be obvious that when the two members 46 are brought into contact with the contact strips 48 in place in the slots 43 and 46 and fastening means is inserted through the hole 4| to keep the members in assembled relation, the contact strips 48 will be securely held in position, so that the folded-back ends of the same serve as plug contact blades for another plug socket and the spring contacts 49 are in position to be contacted by plug contacts that may be inserted through the appropriate openings. The width of each contact strip 48 is equal to twice the depth of the slots 46 so that when the parts are assembled, each member 40 will receive one-half of each contact strip 48.

I claim: v

1. In an electrical contact receptacle, 2. pair of contacts in said receptacle, and a screw threaded shell out of which one of said contacts is formed and is integral therewith, the edges of the remaining portion of said shell out of which said contact is formed being bent.

2. In an electrical contact receptacle, a pair of contacts in said receptacle having arcuate portions located along the circumference of a circle, an insulating member extending along the diameter of said circle between the edges of said contacts, and. a metallic shell on said receptacle a portion of which constitutes one of said contacts and having lugs adapted to contact with the sides of said insulating member toprevent said shell from turning.

3. In an electrical contact receptacle, a pair of contacts in said receptacle having arcuate portions located along the circumference of a circle, an insulating member extending along the diameter of said circle between the edges of said contacts, a metal shell on said receptacle aportion of which constitutes one of said contacts, and a disc of insulating material connected to said insulating member and carrying the other contact.

4. In an electrical contact receptacle, a pair of contacts in said receptacle, an insulating member between said contacts, a metal shell on said receptacle, an insulating disc connected to said receptacle, lugs on said shell contacting with said insulating member, and lugs on said' shell extending into grooves in said disc.

5. A contact receptacle having slotted openings, curved contacts in said receptacle having curved ribs on the outside thereof, said ribs cooperating with the recesses of fiat. prong contacts whereby contact between said curved contacts and said prong contacts is obtained.

aoaaace semicircular slotted openingslocated upon the circumference of a circle and curved contacts having curved ribs on the outside thereof, said ribs providing" means of holding flat recessed prong contacts against the curved surface of said curved contacts, said rib cooperating with said recess to produce contact.

9. A contact receptacle having elongated openings located upon the circumference of a circle and curved contacts having elongated, curved prominences-following the curve of said contacts on the outside thereof, saidprominences providing means of holding flat recessed prong contacts against said curved contacts by cooperdating with recesses in said prong contacts.

10. A contact receptacle having elongated openings located upon the circumference of a circle and curved contacts having elongated curved prominences following the curve of said contacts on the outside thereof, flat contacts 5 having holes therein, said prominences providing means for holding said contacts within said receptacle by cooperating-with said holes.

11. A contact receptacle having a two piece. body portion of insulating material, pairs.of o slotted openings to receive flat prong contacts,

and insulated cores between said openings having holes therein, contacts having curved ribs on the outside thereof, said ribs providing means for-cooperating with recesses in said flat prong 15 contacts the said ribs bounding a circle whose plane. is at substantially right angles to the said prong contacts and said cores coperating with fastening means to hold the members in assembled relation. 20 12. A contact receptacle having pairs of slotted openings located at one .end and on two sides thereof, said openings being adapted to receive prong contacts having flat faces, contacts in said receptacle having curved ribs thereon, said ribs providing means for cooperating with recesses in said prong contacts, said ribs bounding a circle whose plane is at substantially rightangles to the said prong contacts.

ALAN L. BECKET. 

